Tried + Tested: Do Chiropractic Adjustments Actually Work?
I have dabbled with seeing a chiropractor a few times in my life, but I didn’t get serious about it until after I had my second baby. Recovering from giving birth isn’t the most pleasant thing to begin with, but I felt like something was off beyond the regular aches and pains of the healing process. Every time I would bend down to pick up my baby, I felt this very uncomfortable pain in my lower back. I mentioned this to Dr. Gabrielle Francis, a naturopathic doctor, founder of the Herban Alchemist, and one of Veracity’s medical advisors, and she recommended I see a maternal chiropractic specialist.
What Going to a Chiropractor Was Really Like?
Chiropractic treatment is very slow at first, so slow that at one point I wondered if the doctor was doing anything at all. My chiropractor started our first session by running his hands up and down my spine, looking at my shoulder alignment, and assessing slight movements to see where there was potential tension or where muscles might be stuck. After he did his evaluation, he began to make some adjustments.
I’ve gone for several weeks now, and every time is different, which is cool. You can tell the chiropractor is making small changes based on what your body is telling them each time and not just according to a standard routine. Sometimes a session looks like the stereotypical depictions of chiropractic care – things like moving your bones until they crack or yanking your neck to the side. Other times, my chiropractor will guide me through some leg movements to realign my pelvis or he will use this little clicker device to make micro adjustments in smaller muscles and nerves.
I felt a little bit better after my first session, but it wasn’t instantaneous relief. Then, over the next few days, I started to notice that little twinges that used to bother me, like a small amount of inflammation and swelling in my foot, had gone away. It became clear that readjusting some things in my body really was making an impact on my daily life and health.
Would I Do It Again?
I think going to the chiropractor is a great thing and I would 100% recommend it to other people beyond just those dealing with postpartum issues. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s a practice that you have to do somewhat regularly over a period of time – unfortunately one adjustment probably won’t give you full and lasting relief.
The other thing that makes a huge difference is choosing the right provider for you. Not only did seeing a chiropractor who specialized in maternal care make all the difference during my last round of treatment, but it also helped that I was seeing a chiropractor who took a more holistic approach to addressing my health problems. It’s the reason I plan to keep going back for more.